We were taking a “biobreak” from class, when someone mentioned that the moon was full. The whole class, as one, poured from the building. Though winter’s grip is starting to relax, the trees were still bare. In this Carolina forest, we were able to peer up and find a space among the branches where we could contemplate, in silence, the awesome view of a perfect silver orb. We spent our class break outdoors, coatless, a bit chilly, caught in the spell of the recurrent Full Moon – united with all who had experienced its magic since the earth’s creation.

When I arrived home later this evening, I was surprised to find an email from a close friend In New York, commenting on how beautiful was the light of the full moon viewed looking down West End Avenue from his fourteenth floor apartment. I had felt a strong bond with my classmates as we had experienced the full moon together amid the trees. This email from New York made it clear that we were united with friends, family, and strangers whom this night’s moonlight had reminded of our shared tenure on earth this day, this month, this year. We were neither New Yorkers nor Carolinians. We were all, at that moment, simply Earthlings.

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About Rev. Rosemary Hyde, Ph.D.

I am a grandmother, a classical homeopath, a mystical poet, and an interfaith minister. I also have a large, enduring place in my heart for Paris. I first spent time in Paris in 1961, as a Fulbright scholar. I remained in France for three years, living also in Toulouse and in Nancy. I have revisited France and Paris multiple times since then, and have come to know central Paris reasonably well. I grew up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where there were many Franco-Americans, and their language fascinated me. I was fortunate in 6th grade, when my family moved, to find myself in a Catholic French speaking girls' school, where I had the wonderful fortune of becoming bilingual. It still feeds my soul deeply, to visit Paris, speak French, and reconnect with the little French girl in me.
I am serving presently as co-minister at Unity Center of Peace in Chapel Hill, NC. I give talks one or two Sundays a month -- please go to the website, www.unitychapelhill.org, and sign up for the weekly e-news to learn what's going on -- special events, seasonal interfaith ceremonies, and Sunday themes and talks. My vision for the Unity Chapel Hill ministry and for myself is to become a loving, uniting presence in the lives of all those who cross paths with us. That's all there is, really -- loving presence. And so it is. Amen.
My goal as a minister is to add richness to life for those who resonate to more than one religious tradition or to none -- those with mixed religions as well as the unchurched, untempled, and unmosqued.
All of us, whatever our cultural allegiances, hunger for and need support in finding the transcendent joy that's ours to find in this earthly life. All of us need and want to celebrate beautifully the great and small milemarker moments. All of us crave the beauty of prayer as an expression of our participation in universal love. All of us wish to learn a greater vision, to see our lives opening to the Divine. All of us desire deeply to find serenity and peace that lasts no matter what happens today and tomorrow.
This is the meaning of Transcendessence. We find the essence of spirit and transcend the narrow constraints of our bodies and egos. Join us today by subscribing, so you won't miss a single poem, message, prayer, or meditation.